Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa says his administration has recruited 5,588 teachers, health workers and other professionals to enhance quality service delivery.

Mr Namadi stated this while presenting letters of appointment to the workers on Tuesday in Dutse.

He said the state government engaged 3,143 teachers, 2,445 health workers, and other professionals to fast-track implementation of its 12-point agenda.

The governor said the gesture is part of his administration’s efforts to improve quality service delivery in the education, health and agricultural sectors.

“In our commitment to the fulfilment of our campaign promises for the implementation of our 12-point agenda, we also recruited a total of 1,440 agricultural extension workers under the J-Agro programme and 1,005 junior and senior health personnel.

“The unprecedented mass recruitment in the state will bridge the unemployment gaps in teaching and medical services.

“Our 12-point agenda is designed to make Jigawa state great through the provision of access to quality education for all children, and to achieve this, we must bridge our teacher gap.

“That is why we employ this number now, and we will continue doing this until we have teachers in every classroom,” he said.

Mr Namadi said his administration also sponsored over 120 students to study medicine in Cyprus and India and embarked on N5.5 billion for the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Hadejia, project.

He said this was in addition to establishing three tertiary health institutions in the state.

According to Mr Namadi, agriculture is one of the key sectors in the 12-point agenda, which seeks to provide employment, enhance job creation, eradicate poverty and promote food security to build resilient and sustainable economic development.

“Promoting the use of modern farming technology and making modern farm implements available and affordable to farmers are very indispensable in achieving the goals, and in view of that, today we are presenting an offer of employment to 1,440 temporary agricultural extension workers under our programme known as J-AgrJ-Agro,” the governor said.

Also, Haruna Umar, the chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), said the newly employed teachers had served as temporary staff for two years under the state government programme tagged: ‘J-Teach’ before their eventual absorption into the mainstream civil service.

Mr Umar said the teachers were recruited based on merit, adding that “they are capable of giving sound education to their students.”

(NAN)